Nakawa, Namanve factories named top L. Victoria polluters

A survey shows that factories built on Nakivubo drainage channel discharge their waste into Lake Victoria. PHOTO BY RACHEL MABALA

A survey commissioned by Uganda Manufacturers Association has revealed that factories based in Nakawa, Banda in Kampala and Namanve in Mukono District are the major polluters of Lake Victoria.

The survey was commissioned in September to understand the extent of major industrial pollution of the lake.
While releasing the findings yesterday, Mr Daniel Obira, the technical director for Living Systems Engineering and Technology Limited, the company contracted to carry out the survey, said of the 469 companies in the three areas, only 92 have waste water treatment systems.

“When we went to industries to find out what they do, some of them denied us entry and we had to find proxies to get us the information on waste water and chemical waste,” he said, adding that of all the factories that they surveyed, 83 per cent admitted that they get water from National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC).

He said the same factories complained of their premises flooding whenever it rains heavily and access to their premises is blocked while their products get damaged.

Mr Obira said the factories are built on the Nakivubo drainage channel where they discharge their waste.

Mr Daniel Okello, the acting director of public health services and environmental health at Kampala Capital City Authority, said NWSC was forced to start a new water treatment plant in Katosi because of the heavy pollution of Murchison bay, which has increased the cost of treating water consumed by the factories.

Industries’ pledge on environment

Mr Daniel Birungi, the executive director Uganda Manufacturers Association, said they organised the meeting to sensitise their members about the importance of water management so as to work together to preserve the environment. “Water management is a business. We need to work together to produce and remain green,” he said.

Mr Mathew Parr, the Giz country coordinator of International Water Stewardship Programme, said Giz was supporting the manufacturers to continue production and job creation while maintaining the environmental and natural resources by providing them with technical assistance so that they can comply with waste water management practices. Last week, more than 150 water professionals from different African water utility companies in the Africa Water Association met at NWSC to draw the agenda for the Africa Water Congress next February where consumption of water by industries was raised as a major concern.